Stranger - Book 2: Wrath
by VestedTomb
Summary: The sequel to Stranger. A new threat arises, and the alliance of Crassinious, Theodore and Fadril is put to the test. This is a current work in-progress. Chapter 2 uploaded on 9/30/2013. Comments and followers welcome!
1. Seperate

Seperate

He concentrated hard. Sweat dripping down his face and into his eyes, the salt burning and making him wince, but he could not break his focus.

Not yet, when he was so close.

He felt a slight chill in his fingertips, the ends turning purple and beginning to quiver despite it being a mild Spring day. A slight wind blew, ripping along the meandering river and cruising quickly past the lodgings of he and his companions.

It was very, very close now.

He inhaled deeply and held his breath, feeling the small crystals of ice form along his fingertips, his will entered into the equation, pushing the ice forward to manifest as a long and sharp protrusion.

It shot from his palm with a tearing noise, striking a rock on the opposite shore and shattering into hundreds of crystalline pieces that caught the sunlight reflecting off of the water.

Crass smiled.

"About time." His mentor Theodore ambled up behind him, smiling. "I thought it was never actually going to happen you know."

Crass scoffed and rubbed his still numb hand against his pants, "Well, old man, you should have more faith in me." They both laughed and listened to the sounds of the gently lapping stream in the woodlands surrounding Falkreath.

It had been three months since they had escaped the collapsing ruins in Lake Illinata. Fadril, the strange Dunmer woman they had been employed by was still their third companion, providing her skills as a huntress and thief to Ted's magic and Crass' sword arm.

Together, the three of them were gaining a reputation as top spell-swords, able to solve the most difficult of problems and issues which may arise.

Crass was slipping on his over-shirt once again when the pattering sound of hooves on the dirt road reached his ears. He smiled and headed towards the road, Ted behind him, smiling knowingly.

"You know, you should simply tell her how you feel Crass." He winked.

Crass looked at him, grunted, and turned away.

"I could tell her if that would…" He was interrupted by a fierce glare from Crass, and then they both broke out laughing.

"In time wizard, in time." He stretched, craning his neck to see who may have been approaching down the road.

The lithe form of Fadril crested the hill, atop Ted's chestnut mare and her hood thrown back behind her head so the sun could reach her skin. She broke into a smile and urged the horse forward upon seeing her friends, seemingly eager.

She reached them and jumped down. "Hello boys." She smiled. Ted did a slight bow and Crass smiled. "I think I have a job for us," she continued, "A good one at that. But it will require something of a trip."

"Oh?" Ted questioned, "do tell."

She smiled mischievously and gestured to some nearby rocks next to the stream, "Sit."

Crass loped over and lay on the grass feeling the Earth beneath him and the sun on his face. Ted sat nearby and placed his hat on the ground, while Fadril sat with her back to the stream and listened to the gently gurgling motion of the river echo behind her.

"We need to go to Windhelm." She paused.

Crass grimaced and looked away, "Well, this went poorly very quickly."

Fadril turned and cast a sharp glance his way, "How did this go poorly?"

Crass shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but Ted interjected, "He is formerly of the Imperial Legion. Even though Windhelm has been liberated there is a risk of Stormcloak interference."

Crass laughed aloud, "That is a polite way of putting it. What he means," he gestured towards Ted, "is that the odds are high that I will be killed upon sight."

Fadril leaned back on the rock, sighing as the sun fell on her shoulders. "Alright then, I guess we won't take the job."

The three companions sat in silence, the meandering river next to them gurgling softly. "What was the job exactly Fadril?" Ted finally asked, leaning forward.

"Apparently there is some new cult trying to duplicate what happened during the Oblivion Crisis." Ted grimaced, "So opening portals to Oblivion and allowing ancient gods to come strolling through Tamriel, yes?"

Fadril nodded.

"Well," Crass smirked, "that would certainly not be a good thing."

After a pause Crass spoke once more, "Is this a legitimate threat?"

Fadril bit her lower lip and thought for a moment, "Yes, I believe it is, as do the people I have spoken to."

Ted was the next to pipe in, "For now, we will prepare for a brief exploratory trip to Windhelm," he looked to Crass, "you are going to stay here to avoid raising any suspicion."

Ted pointed towards Fadril, "You are going to come with me."

Crass nodded, albeit sadly, "That is probably the right way of handling this, isn't it?"

They sat in silence once more.

Ted spoke once more, "We leave in the morning, and tonight we prep and do any research we may need to. Crass, I have a task for you while we are out adventuring. Follow me." He stood quickly and began walking back to the small house.

Fadril looked over curiously, stood and brushed what little dirt had collected on her leggings, and then walked back to the horse to unload possible supplies. Crass and Ted entered the warm cabin, lit up a small lantern and the room lit up, shadows casting themselves over the wall in splayed patterns.

Crass pulled back the roughly made wooden chair, sat with a sigh and nodded towards Ted.

"What do you need me to do?" He leaned forward and smiled.

Ted grunted and shook his head, "I think this whole 'Oblivion' thing is overrated and likely not happening, but there is something to all rumors, you know?" He grinned sheepishly.

"Oh?" Crass leaned back.

"Yes, I have heard some sighting of some scamps." He grimaced, "I know they are tiny and inconsequential, but they are not normally around Tamriel…"

Crass frowned and scooted forward slightly in his chair, he made a 'keep talking' gesture impatiently.

"I need you to go to Winterhold and talk to the mages there, see if they can shed some light on this." Ted grimaced, "I sincerely hope this is nothing more than a goose chase."

Crass grunted and leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. "And if it isn't?"

Ted laughed, "We are going to be very busy then."

The next morning dawned cool and comfortable. Birdsong filtered through the morning air and Crass awoke slowly, savoring the warm sunlight streaming through the nearby window and feeling the gentle motion of the world begin another day.

He could hear loud whispers outside, likely Ted and Fadril preparing for their overland journey. Crass smiled. _I'll get to be by myself now._

It was the first time he would really get to represent himself as a spell sword on an individual excursion since he had been given the title. It was both exciting, and mildly terrifying. He did not doubt his own ability to handle problems, but being considered the type of individual that can solve a myriad of issues with a simple spell is not always the easiest thing in the world. Crass frowned to himself in the dim light of the cabin, the pine-laden air waking his senses.

He stood and stretched, feeling the rough floor on his bare feet. The door creaked open, fresh air blowing in through the small gap and Ted walked in, with Fadril close behind.

"Crass, we are leaving now." He smiled kindly. "Be safe, as we will be somewhat far away from each other."

"Of course old man," Crass smiled, "I am the image of caution."

Fadril walked forward and smiled at Crass, "I'm sorry you cannot go with us." She stopped and held eye contact with him. The silence lasted for around 10 seconds until Ted cleared his throat. "Well, off we go then." He smiled and patted Crass on his bare shoulder before leaving. Fadril slowly stepped away and waved.

Crass sighed under his breath and shook his head slowly. "What am I going to do about that girl?"

He listened to the wooded country surrounding the cabin awaken, birdsong, the rushing stream and the cool mountain breeze playing through the pines combining into a pleasant, dim cacophony.

Minutes later Crass had a tunic on and was sitting on his front step, inhaling the air and struggling to fit his feet into the worn leather boots he preferred to wear on long journeys.

This journey in particular, Crass quickly realized, was going to be one that required lots of supplies and ample travel time.

He could hear the gentle trampling of undergrowth from a rabbit in a nearby bush, and the distant yipping of a fox. Of course, traveling to Winterhold would mean leaving his comfortable wooded surroundings of Falkreath and venture into the cold winds and desolate landscapes of the North. It was not necessarily a horrible thought, but he liked being in one place for extended periods of time.

He sighed, stood quickly, and brushed the dirt from his pants and shirt. He reached back into the warm confines of the cabin and grabbed his cloak. Doing his best to try and maintain a degree of control and not worry about what may very well lie on the road ahead.

Since Ted and Fadril commandeered the horse, Crass would be on foot for the long, long journey. He traveled North, or as North as can be while trying to skirt a massive mountain. The small town of Riverwood lay a few miles down the road. His first stop for the night and a comfortable place to grab a meal and a warm bed, he was in high spirits with a bright sun and gentle wind following him on his journey.

Riverwood was a calm, and in all honesty, dreary town. The local lumbermill hummed in the background as the local blacksmith diligently worked his forge and children wrestled in the nearby years of a work looking abode. The local inn was much like any other establishment through Skyrim, high steeped windows and a large central fire roaring already in late-afternoon.

Crass grabbed a chair, the wood rough and splintered, ordered a mead and bread with stew and waited for his food to arrive.

His next steps were already foremost in his mind. After en evening in Riverwood he would go to Whiterun and re-supply his various medical tinctures (the learning thereof courtesy of Ted) and maybe get a little present for the wizard and Fadril.

Fadril. _She_, he thought to himself, _is a tricky one_.

He sighed aloud, his breath echoing a bit louder in the empty inn than he would have preferred. The tender brought him over his food and drink and Crass tucked in, eager to go to his rented room and sleep.

Whiterun would lead up through the Pale to Dawnstar, and finally east along the coast to Winterhold. Crass frowned to himself. It would be a cold, likely miserable journey, not to mention the various threats that he may very well encounter on his trip.

He finished his meal, threw his change on the table as an added tip for the barkeep and clomped over to his room door, pushing it open to expose a well-lit room, with a chest and thin bed. The desk contained a small book for some night-time reading and eventually Crass, after hanging his cloak and kicking off his boots, slumped into the chair nearby and grabbed the book.

"_Daedra in Tamriel: A Study"_. Crass laughed, "Well, this is quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

He shook his head and began actively reading, the flame in the lantern slowly burning down further and further into the metal well of the lantern.

Crass dozed and awoke, dozed and awoke until finally setting the book aside and drifting off to sleep.


	2. Chase

Chase

While Crass was finally awakening from his evening in Riverwood, Ted and Fadril were moving rapidly to Windhelm. Ted's original plan had been to stay overnight in Whiterun, but Fadril, for an unknown reason, seemed intent on riding through the night.

With dawn's pale light, Windhelm and its ancient stone structures stood before them. A cold wind coming off of the nearby ocean added an undertone of salt and fish to the already present stench of burning pitch and icy coldness.

Ted pulled his cloak about him tighter. "I truly do not like this Fadril, something feels wrong."

Fadril nodded and pulled her hood down from around her face, her features dark in the early morning. "I wish Crass was here," she held up a finger to stop Ted from speaking, "not because I like him, but because his sword would be useful."

Ted smiled coyly to himself, "Oh, oh, of course. But he will be plenty busy I think." He began to set off on foot over the large stone bridge leading unto the main gateway of Windhelm. Fadril tossed a few septims to the nearby stable boy and signaled to quarter the horses in the empty stall, as she jumped to catch up with the elderly wizard.

"How much do you know about Windhelm, Fadril?" Ted questioned her. He had been doing so since she joined him and Crass as the third component to their group, seemingly testing her.

"Well," she paused for minute, trying to recollect her sparse knowledge of history, "I know this used be the main center for ruling Skyrim long ago. Thus why everything looks so old…like you." She smiled at Ted, placing her hand on his shoulder to show she was merely joking.

"Oh?" Ted laughed, his breath showing the in cold air as he and Fadril entered through the massive doors and passed Imperial Soldiers on guard.

Fadril sighed, "I'm sure there are many other things out there I could, and perhaps should, know about, but…"

A man shouted ahead of them. "Will someone please help?" He pleaded at the nearby crowds, his clothes mere rags and his hands and face filthy with grime.

Ted wandered over quickly, Fadril behind, rolling her eyes at the unneeded distraction from their task.

"Wizard, what are you doing?" She stood a distance from the beggar.

Ted placed his finger over his lips in the 'quiet' gesture and continued forward.

"Sir, what seems to be the matter?" He waited for the disheveled beggar to peer his way.

"I didn't do it! No one believes me!" He stared around him, wild-eyed.

"Do what?" Ted leaned closer, behind him, a soldier stood next to Fadril. He raised his voice so Ted could hear him, "He didn't murder his child and wife…apparently."

The soldier sneered at the beggar, Ted turned quickly, "Excuse me?"

"He was brought into questioning last week, but he is obviously insane…he said a Scamp or some other Daedra was to blame…he was dropped out here."

Fadril casually raised her eyebrow, sharing a quick stare with Ted. "Hmmm, obviously a bit off his rocker, eh?" Ted leaned away from the beggar and smoothed his robes. He gestured to Fadril, "Thank you for your help sir, let's go dear."

Fadril met up with him and they began talking as they made their way to the local general store.

"That man could have been our only lead, why did we simply le-"Ted raised his hand, cutting off her thought.

"We will return later, talking to him may only increase more interest in our presence."

Fadril sighed, "Aren't we being a bit paranoid wizard?"

"No. If daedra are involved, their powers to manipulate mortals is truly unknowable…the guard who spoke to us may be a mere puppet, meant to cast us off the trail."

"Well," Fadril lowered her voice, "I'll make sure to keep an eye out then."

Ted smiled and clapped her on the shoulder, "That's the spirit; paranoia does have its advantages you know!"

Crass was staring at the running water beneath the bridge at Riverwood when he heard the screaming. Coming from further down the trail and barely reaching his ears from behind the noise of the rushing current.

He placed a hand on his worn steel sword and went off on a jog down the path, stopping at a rock outcropping which obscured him from further ahead. He inhaled deeply, controlling his breathing and listening closely.

"You, dear, are coming with us." The voice was bubbly and oozing, like a tar pit in summer.

The plaintive whimpers of a woman could be heard.

Crass slightly unsheathed his sword, and stepped from behind the rock, hearing enough for him to act.

There was merely a man, in a dark hood, his eyes lost in the shadow.

"Hello, little one." His voice dripped.

Crass stared, confused as to how to respond and wondering if he should be confrontational or passive; his decision was made when he was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong hands.

"Don't move, runt." The Orc behind him was huge, burly with muscles rippling underneath his tunic and a pair of nasty axes at his sides.

Crass, turned from the brute to look at the shadowed figure, now walking his way.

"We know your little quest, for we know all." The figure breathed deeply. "Your companions in Whiterun are soon to have problems of their own as well."

Crass stiffened and held his breath. _Was he bluffing?_

The man seemed confident. Crass knew he couldn't face the both of them at once.

For one, who knew what the mysterious man had the capability of doing, and the Orc was simply too strong for one on one combat.

He would have to run.

Crass began to focus on his palm, warmth spreading. A small spurt of flame shot up into the Orcs chin, causing him to release Crass' arms and grab his now smoldering flesh.

He unsheathed his silver sword, throwing it end over end at the stranger. An unearthly hissing emerged and Crass pumped his legs faster, going off of the trail and dodging into the underbrush.

Leaves and branches scraped against his face, and he could hear the lumbering strides of the now very angry Orc behind him, clogging in faster.

He had no idea where the other one was, judging by his fear of the silver he was not normal, and may be able to follow him anywhere he goes and appear out of nowhere.

_Don't think like that Crass, just don't._ He chided himself as he scrabbled down a steep hillside and dodged the trunk of a recently cut tree.

He began to see the outbuildings surrounding the walled city of Whiterun, and the previously loud clomping of Orcish feet was receding into the distance.

He stopped to catch his breath, his face red and sweat beading down the back of his neck.

A nearby log became his location for sitting and taking a much needed breath. He counted to 15 in his head and waited for his racing pulse to slow.

_That was a bit close_.

Crass shook his head and began to plan his next moves. He would attempt to walk to Whiterun as calmly as he could, and in doing so do his best to attract little to no attention.

Once there he would need a new sword, and supplies…and maybe some extra goods since it looked like his journey went from being a normal, though long, trip….to a dangerous one.

Night fell on Windhelm with bone-chilling abruptness. Along with howling winds and penetrating flecks of snow, the city went from being somewhat hospitable, too dangerous.

Fadril was enjoying mead in the local inn, while Ted was upstairs reading. She preferred this method to information gathering. An inn was one of the best places to casually pick up information, usually without even really having to try that much.

People talked when they drank, and most people at an inn drank quite a bit.

She heard a door slam upstairs and the wizard descended quickly, a rough cloak lined with wolf fur thrown over his shoulders.

"Come," he gestured impatiently towards the door, "we have some additional work to do."

Fadril downed her drink and placed her own cloak, this of leather, on her shoulders and followed Ted out into the screaming winds.

"What is the plan?" She said, leaning against Ted so as to not have her voice echo in the stone alleys.

"We are going back to attempt to find that beggar, and hopefully get some more answers about what is happening in this city."

He began walking briskly; his demeanor altered…his joviality diminished somehow.

Fadril frowned and followed him along a narrow staircase, town residents quickly scampering the opposite direction to reach the welcoming glow of the inn.

They came upon the central square where the man was located earlier that day. To find nothing but snow, and more biting wind.

"Damn." Fadril sighed, "Where to now?"

Ted grunted, "I don't know…"

They stood in the darkness for a moment, feeling the rushing of the wind about them and waiting patiently for some sign, any sign really, to appear.

A gruff voice behind them startled Fadril and caused Ted to whirl around, his cloak disturbing the collected snow upon the ground.

"Looking for that man again, hmm?"

It was the guard, covered in leather and fur armor and grimacing at the duo.

"You two did indeed make me suspicious, so I had the bugger locked up. He is rotting in a cell this very moment."

He seemed quite pleased with himself at that pronouncement, his eyes glowing in the pale firelight from a torch he carried.

"Oh," Ted casually remarked, putting on a confident smile, "May we see him?"

The guard laughed, a deep guttural sound, a shook his head in the negative. "No."

Fadril began to walk closer, placing her hand reassuringly on the small dagger at her hip.

"Stop right there little one." His voice had altered, diving octaves lower. "You two do not know that which you are interfering with."

Ted turned towards Fadril and smiled, "I told you there could be enemies at any turn. And you said I was paranoid."

Fadril rolled her eyes and drew her gaze to the guard, still looking like an average man, except for the now shining, pitch-black eyes that reflected the still burning torch.

"We will not allow another Oblivion crisis to occur." Ted gripped his staff tightly, the tip beginning to glow a light blue.

The guard smiled.

Fadril reached behind her and grabbed her bow, string taut, and quickly retrieved an arrow from the quiver. Her breath was coming faster now, more excited at the prospect of a battle.

The blow, if it can be called that, came quickly. A darkness enveloped them, surrounding both Ted and Fadril on all sides. Yet they still stood solidly, instead of snow covered cobblestones an inky blackness provided their floor.

The solider laughed to himself, "No one can see us know."

Ted shrugged and yelled over to Fadril, "We are still in Whiterun, just separate. He has boxed us off, so no one can see what is occurring…it appears as if no one else is there to outsiders."

Fadril nodded, "Seems like a nifty trick."

A moment later a gleaming black sword of obsidian was removed from its sheath by the quickly transforming guard. Small horns appeared, followed by a flowing black robe. His eyes began to glow with an inner fire and his now scaled hands began to form a fireball.

"Dremora!" The wizard leaped at Fadril and bowled her over, causing the drawn arrow to fly off into the blackness of the void in which they stood and the singing smell of fireball left in the air after the dremora's opening strike sailed over their heads.

Fadril quickly got up, pulling her companion to his feet. "How do we get out of here old man?"

Ted grimaced, "We need to eliminate…that." He gestured to the patiently waiting dremora.

"Oh," Fadril laughed, "this should be fun then."


End file.
